Non-profit organizations that provide valuable services to the children and adults of our communities have been cut off from state money by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

We all know that we are in the midst of an economic crisis in our state and in our country, however, these organizations can not continue to operate properly unless they receive some state financial backing.

Our local elected officials and community leaders and residents are fighting to prevent and/or restore cuts made to these services, but it is a very difficult fight. I would urge Governor Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg to come to this and other areas in our city to see and hear what impact the cuts are having and will have in the future.

We rarely see them in our communities unless it is election time. We need to speak up so that they understand what is important to us and our neighborhoods.

In the grand scheme of things, the amount of money needed to support these agencies and services is not huge, but the impact that elimination or reduction of services will have will adversely affect our quality of life and the desire by people to want to live here and throughout the city.